Pacific League Information & Pacific League Links at HealthHaven.com

This article is about the Japanese major league. For the Mexican winter league, see Mexican Pacific League. For the American minor league, see Pacific Coast League.

Logo of the Pacific League

The Pacific League (パシフィック・リーグ, Pashifikku Rīgu^?) or Pa League (パリーグ, Pa Rīgu^?) is one of Japan's two major professional baseball leagues, the other being the Central League.

It was founded as the Taiheiyo Baseball Union in 1949 with seven teams, the name changing to its current form in 1980. Designated hitters are used in Pacific League teams' home games.

[edit] Current teams

Team	Japanese Name	Place	Sponsor
Chiba Lotte Marines	千葉ロッテマリーンズ Chiba Rotte Marīnzu	Chiba	Lotte
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks	福岡ソフトバンクホークス Fukuoka Sofutobanku Hōkusu	Fukuoka	SoftBank
Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters	北海道日本ハムファイターズ Hokkaidō Nippon-Hamu Faitāzu	Sapporo,Hokkaido	Nippon Ham
Orix Buffaloes	オリックス・バファローズ Orikkusu Bafarōzu	Osaka	Orix Group
Saitama Seibu Lions	埼玉西武ライオンズ Saitama Seibu Raionzu	Tokorozawa	Seibu Railway
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles	東北楽天ゴールデンイーグルス Tōhoku Rakuten Gōruden Īgurusu	Sendai	Rakuten

After the 2004 season, the Orix BlueWave and the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes merged to form the Orix Buffaloes. A franchise was granted to the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles to fill the void caused by the merger.

Also since 2004, a three-team Playoff system was introduced in the Pacific League (Pacific League Championship Series). The teams with the 2nd- and 3rd-best records play in the 3-game first stage, with the winner advancing to the 5-game final against the top team. The winner becomes the representative of the Pacific League to the Japan Series. Since the Pacific League won every Japan Series after introducing this system, an identical system was introduced to the Central League in 2007, and the post-season intra-league games were renamed "Climax Series" in both leagues. Player statistics and drafting order based on team records are not affected by these postseason games.

[edit] PL Pennant winners

2009 Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters
2008 Saitama Seibu Lions
2007 Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters
2006 Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters (after play-offs)
2005 Chiba Lotte Marines (after play-offs)
2004 Seibu Lions (after play-offs)
2003 Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
2002 Seibu Lions
2001 Kintetsu Buffaloes
2000 Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
1999 Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
1998 Seibu Lions
1997 Seibu Lions
1996 Orix BlueWave
1995 Orix BlueWave
1994 Seibu Lions
1993 Seibu Lions
1992 Seibu Lions
1991 Seibu Lions
1990 Seibu Lions
1989 Kintetsu Buffaloes
1988 Seibu Lions
1987 Seibu Lions
1986 Seibu Lions
1985 Seibu Lions
1984 Hankyu Braves
1983 Seibu Lions
1982 Seibu Lions
1981 Nippon Ham Fighters
1980 Kintetsu Buffaloes
1979 Kintetsu Buffaloes
1978 Hankyu Braves
1977 Hankyu Braves
1976 Hankyu Braves
1975 Hankyu Braves
1974 Lotte Orions
1973 Nankai Hawks
1972 Hankyu Braves
1971 Hankyu Braves
1970 Lotte Orions
1969 Hankyu Braves
1968 Hankyu Braves
1967 Hankyu Braves
1966 Nankai Hawks
1965 Nankai Hawks
1964 Nankai Hawks
1963 Nishitetsu Lions
1962 Toei Flyers
1961 Nankai Hawks
1960 Daimai Orions
1959 Nankai Hawks
1958 Nishitetsu Lions
1957 Nishitetsu Lions
1956 Nishitetsu Lions
1955 Nankai Hawks
1954 Nishitetsu Lions
1953 Nankai Hawks
1952 Nankai Hawks
1951 Nankai Hawks
1950 Mainichi Orions

[edit] Climax Series Winners

2008 Saitama Seibu Lions
2007 Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters

[edit] See also

Nippon Professional Baseball

[edit] External links

Contents

[edit] Current teams

[edit] PL Pennant winners

[edit] Climax Series Winners

[edit] See also

[edit] External links